“OK event but not outstanding - After previous years, i was expecting some improvements. Even I like YAS island and also triathlon there (TriYas), this "world class" event was for me disappointing. No place where your support could cheer you (particularly on run), biking course which was perhaps exciting for drafting Pro but crazy and often dangerous for non-drafting age groupers with zillions of carves, turns and u-turns didn't make this event i'd enjoy as i'd expect to. Lack of spectators for Pro races was sad.”

“Great event but poor location for spectators - Great event but the location is poor, confusing to get into the race village, support crew got confused where to go as we need to walk very far to get down there.”

“Course great - spectator event poor - Great place. poor signage, very poor for spectators which made it a very lonely race course with very few people to cheer you on. Elite events excellent. Needs to improve for next time with better directions and more of a spectator event. Plenty of family and friends at the event but saw very little. ”

“Cycle course too many turns - This year was much better organised and better facilities for supporters, but could do with more for kids post race next time. Sprint swim course was longer than 750m as I believe the bouys had moved in the strong current. Cycle course had too many tight turns and not marshalled correctly as I had a guy in a Ferrari block the cycle track, I had to stop and almost fell off..not impressed. My son, daughter and I were excited about getting photos but the pricing was ridiculously expensive ”

“Great event, but bike course was disappointing - The event was well organised and lots of fun, however the bike course was quite disappointing. Having competed in many ITU events, the bike course was definitely not up to standard. It was slow, with many U-turns and the road surface (brick road) was terrible in some sections. The vibration from the road surface caused one of the screws to come loose on my tri bars. Overall the course distance was also short. The bike was only 38km and the run was 9.5km which was also disappointing.”

“Disappointing course for Bike & Run - Pasta Party was AWFUL. How you could call that a party with a hand out of pre-warmed & boxed pasta and lack of feeling throughout. NOT like what was done last year at the Corniche, THAT was a party. POOR signage to the event and had to carry my bike & gear up & down stairs to get to transition. Long walk to the swim start. Bike course HORRIBLE too many hair pin turns. Run was BORING along the estuary with not enough water stations. Limited spectator viewing areas, go back to the Corniche please!”

“Great Experience - Great experience and the fact one got to cycle on the Yas Marina track was a highlight. However, there were a few "ramps" on the track which were there to cover wires but the boxes that were there to cover them were far too high and slowed my pace down. There should be more water stations - especially on the run. ”

“Overall always exciting, less spectacular venue - Transition swim / bike not well prepared and too long, bike course more challenging, run less spectacular, better to return to corniche please”

“Missing the Corniche - Much better atmosphere and access for spectators on the Corniche, plus far prefer the straight line bike course! I had to dodge a couple of crashers on those corners, plus some water bottles that flew out of cages on the cobbled/brick section. Organisers, if we have to run over 600m on tarmac in transition, could you perhaps put some carpet down? It seems you managed this for the pros, what about the amateurs (who are a significant source of your revenue). ”

“GREAT EVENT - Great event”

“Great route for 2017! - Organisation atrocious Stupid registration location Some utterly clueless staff (they deserve a better brief in advance) Not clear if wet suits were optional or not Transition long, confusing and at times hazardous Circuit based cycle route simply amazing Run well managed Thank you; worth every penny!”

“Nice course, but overpriced. - Overall a great triathlon (Olympic), however the price does not reflect the overall organisation and value of the event. The swim was great, the bike course was technical and challenging (i feared too many U-turns and corners, but it was quite manageable and a nice challenge) however the bike course support stations were maybe not ideally located (but understandable since Olympic and Maxi distance were riding at same time). The run course was ok, but not many spectators as it's on Yas Island. ”

“Overall totally enjoyed it. - Everything was spot on from what I could tell, as it was my first event. Apart from the lack of direction to get to the athletes village. That bit was very dis organised.”

“Course not spectator friendly - The course was not spectator friendly ”

“Could be better... - Signage on arrival was poor. The bike course for the Sprint was dangerous (the start of my ride was seeing someone who had fallen off and smashed their face off the road) - many people doing the Sprint are first time triathletes and not technical cyclists, the course should cater for this. The elite events seemed well organised and were enjoyable to watch/marshall. ”

“Thérèse coule be moré photo points - Bike turns were sometimes severe. Run in the trees was Swimming venue in the port and canal is arguable Overall enjoyable race! Well done!”

“Every year a great competition - Like every year it was a well organized event with great supporters and aid stations along the course. Thanks to all the amazing people who helped keeping us on track and keeping us hydrated. You did a great job. Good bike course. Will be back next year. ”

“Needs to encourage spectators - Picked up race number easily and efficiently.Pre race swim on Thursday was a bit of a shambles to get to.No signage, security guards with no knowledge of Thurs swim made it difficult to get to. Pre race briefing was basically reading out the booklet, not a great help. However friday sprint really enjoyed.Tri is about being challenged.The cycle course was technical and it was excellent cycling on the F1 track.Big downside is lack of spectators and something to keep us at the event to watch elites”

“Awesome - Awesome. But I hope u can set up photos which we can get online for free. thanks”

“Enjoyable. - T-shirt sizes - way too small!! What about an over 60+ category?”

“Challenging - Transition area too long Cycling on the drag strip made wheels very slippery Otherwise good event”

“Still a lot room for improvement... - Improved - finisher tshirt, refreshments and fruits on run and finish line, world class venue and nicer medal. Need to improve - at least energy bars or gels as giveaways. Bike course was just too technical and too many corners, totally different from the PRO which I believe is easier than AG. Run course is totally boring, no spectators to boost you up. Spectators were just not a big part in this venue.”

“Sprint race - Not a big fan of the location of the race but not a big deal. The Sprint Bike course was slightly sketchy to say the least. The only good thing about it in hindsight was that no one could draft which was good. With the huge area of Yas island surely it could have been made to a single loop course or with far less u turns. not a massive game changer. Age groups also made no sense as there were sufficient competitors to split the Sprint AG into the normal ages. like with the Olympic race..”

“My first triathlon - For my first triathlon, this was a good event on a very good course apart from the run. Few things i found surprising. 1 - Length of swim to bike transition. Far too long 2 - No KM markers on bike or run. I don't have all the "gear" so working out my pace was reliant on other participants 3 - Spectators. I had a support group of 10 people come and watch, i only saw them 200m from the finish line. Surely there are better ways to utilise the course and encourage spectators”

“Good event with a chance to improve - Thanks for the race! In general it was a good event, however it was disappointing that the dates of different categories were not clear at the registration. I managed to change my course with the support of the organisers. On the cycling track one athlete fall in front of me because he hit an object crossing the track (some cable protection iron stuff) I stopped to help him, it was not very pleasant as his injuries were quite severe. Thanks for the event and extended support! ”

“Great event for a first time triathlon! - The race was organized very well, and the location was perfect since i was participating in a triathlon for the first time. i would participate again in the coming years. ”

“Good event for the Pro's - Race village/facilities were v good. After that it's downhill in my opinion, I'm afraid. Even if it was easy for supporters to get to this year (which it was not), they must stay at the finish line and/or transition area. Photo's were bad - These people are professional right? The iphone warriors out there did a much better job. I much preferred the run course at the Corniche (previous years) for AGer's. Awful bike course for this many AG athletes - Seriously, what were you thinking? ”

“Liked the new venue, still a bit pricey - Volunteers were amazing, the aid stations well provided and in a good number. The giveaways still very cheap for the value of the inscription. ”

“The Yas Island location is well suited - While the previous location on Abu Dhabi's Corniche was fabulous, Yas Island has much to offer with less impact on the non-triathlon population. I am fine with this change of location. The cycling route had many U-turns, which is again fine for me as I excel in curves, but for some people that is a disadvantage. I heard people complain about the transition zone. I actually think it was straight forward. I am conscious about waste produced; a small package is always better regardless of price.”

“ITU should to better for age groupers - Thanks to all volunteers they were amazing. Transition was too long and orientation signs would have been helpful to better memorize where the bike was racked. Cycling course very technical (ok) but not always safe (not ok). Please put more km signs at the run course. Start time on Friday for the Sprint races around 11:00 was making us race in the full sun making it very challenging. ITU and age grouper continues to be a very difficult story....”

“Expected a bit more of an ITU event - Race pack was a bit disappointing. Way finding to the Race Village was not clear. Swim course was great, but there should be toilets very close to the start as we waited over an hour to start. Bike course was to technical, to many u turns, while we understand there were unforeseen road works, the circuit could have been utilised much better. Drafting became an issue.Run course was o.k. could be more spectator friendly.Age group prizes disappointing.Transition area raking spot could be pre marked”

“Overall an excellent event - The only possible improvement would be to provide dedicated transition racking related to the race number to facilitate easy location of transition station.”

“Good - Well organised and safe course thanks”

“Great event - Well organized, for sure I will be back”

“Cycle Course was terrible dangerous and untidy - Cycle course had lots of bends so lost speed and caused bunches of people cycling behind slow people. Led to dangerous overtaking and drafting. Officials didn't care about drafting. Transition area was a mess no allocated space so it was free for all. Cobble roads damaged bikes and weren't clean. The t-shirt included in the pack was too small. It said large on the shirt but was medium. No race belt this year then they charge for it on the stand outside. Time for the race briefing was terrible.”

“Nice first triathlon but course could be better - Overall the week-end was good and well organized. However, the bike course was to complicated and the many sharp turns made it not so great.”

“Good locations, but strange swim and bike course - Good location and opportunity for good race. As always marshals were excellent. Nice medal and t shirt. BUT: swim was against current, transition zones was very long and cycle course was too slow. Cycling down drag strip was not ideal. All made for slow times. Glad someone had sense to move cable protection of cycle route after one lap. For the cost I would have expected better. Ample space and opportunity to make this a great event, but sadly fell short. But as ever thanks to the marshals.”

“My first ITU race: nice overall, could be better - Very well arranged start/finish areas, aside the long corridor with stairs to reach it. Beautiful swim section. Route on bike was too narrow route and there were far too many sharp U-turns, aside the on-circuit part which obviously was true fun. Partially unappealing run section, completely unfriendly for spectators.”

“A lot to improve - My views are consistent with other competitors. The bike course had too many sharp turns (plus a large wooden speed bump on the first lap); transition areas too long; boring run and not spectator friendly. On the positive side, I found the swim better than Yas Tri with plenty of space, albeit with a strong current at the end. ”

“Shame about the course - I will state I did not start my race. I was a supporter on Friday and Saturday. I paid for the Maxi event, but chose it was not worth competing for. The Bike course was very technical and very little opportunity to settle in. The swim looked amazing, I am sad I missed that. I have competed in other events of this size that charged more, but I still feel this is over priced.”

“Course needs improving for next year please. - The volunteers were amazing thank you. However the course should be improved for next year. Too many tight u-turns on the bike, overly long transition distances, and the course not spectator friendly. Also strange to enter Abu Dhabi's premier triathlon event via a narrow stairwell carrying bikes and gear. Overall please keep up the good work, Abu Dhabi needs this to be a great event!”

“An amazing race :) - The bike route was to technical U Turns and curves should minimizes. I've seen a lot crashed in the bike course even my bike rear wheel damaged. Elites too never escaped with to much technicality on the bike route. ”

“Take it back to the corniche - Disappointing course. Cycle route horrendous and dangerous. Run boring and mundane. Take the event back to the corniche.”

“Great event, shame about logistics - The event as a whole was fantastic. Two things need to be looked at and improved. 1. The logistics getting around the event for supporters, lots of access areas closed off making for long detours all around 2. Bike course was too stop start, with nine plus dead stops not allowing for a fast race and smooth rides”

“Well run event in nice location - Overall good job. Some issues with safety on the bike course--usually it's ride right pass left--people were confused and all over the place and I saw multiple crashes from this and people just being rude and not talking when over taking. Both ride and run course were short, which given that this was my first Olympic left me feeling as is I didn't fully reach my goals”

“Smartly organised, nice route, early comms needed - More communication could have been made prior to the week before the event. A race pack pick up place nearer the corniche would also be helpful - had to take 4 long cab journeys over the weekend as a result”

“Very average organisation for a premier event - Many great events in the UAE this is a premier event and a great race but comes nowhere close to ironman 70.3 or Rak Half marathon or Yas tri 2 weeks earlier when it comes to Pre race organisation registration and communications. ”

“Great experience. - My only criticism was the lack of rubber mat at the bike transition - running with bare feet or cleats on tarmac should not occur in an event of this nature.”

“Prizes for winning & Bike support station - The bike support station was in the wrong place - it was on a tight corner on the left hand side, when the natural direction for the cycle was on the right hand side. The run support stations were fine. The prizes for winning Age Group were very disappointing, basically the same as the medal for completing. Last year the prize was a free entry to the following years competition and I had expected this or better this year. The absence of a race belt was also disappointing. ”

“Bike course: Awful!! - Is difficult to understand why de design of such an awful bike course, having the entire Das island to design a decent enjoyable course. Not to mentioned the car that surprinsingly was "in" the bike course putting several of us in danger! I hope you review this for next year. ”

“Overpriced and needs improvement, bike course - First maxi wave did not start on time due to olympic participants still coming in to parking which was also the bike route, 30 min delay.. Spector area not very friendly, cannot see competitors for bike and run legs, also no shade area near finish line! Needed cleaners to remove all rubbish near the support stations filled with empty plastic bottles/cups. Too many tight u-turns and dangerous for bike path. Overpriced event (maxi distance) all in all for little return, photos are extra cost.”

“More information at start - My understanding from the race briefing (Olympic) was that it was ride left, pass right, I didn't see this clearly in the pack, although it may have been there, but a lot of riders were shouting to pass on the left, thinks this needs clarity in future ”

“Location was not capitalized properly - The course layout conceaved was a disaster considering you are on the most beautiful race track in the world with all those twist and turn " being called technical " and hundred of marshals . The existing f1 race course should have been used fully . The aid stations had only water !! And the schedules of the races was bad. It's a shame since the previous years the organization and locations were excellent .”

“Enjoyable morning! - The swim was tough once out of the marina due to the current of the water, enjoyed the bike lots of tight turns and it was nice to go around the track in a different direction. Run was nice but needed more water on the course as it as very hot, I missed the sponges! The children's event needed better communication as the swim start was not clear for the super sprint - a very enjoyable morning shame there were not more spectators. ”

“Fun event - Too many on the bike course at one time (OL distance) and at the racebriefing it was said that we should ride on the left side and overtake on the right side but in the racemanual it said ride on the right side and overtake on the left side - different information leading to dangerous situations!”

“Nice course, could be better organised - Very poor signage to find registration and event location. Registration should have been near or at race precinct. It was too far to walk without knowing where to go. The race started 30 minutes late. That's a long wait on a cool morning in a swimming costume. The swim itself was great. The help up the slippery ramp was much appreciated, the bike- and run course enjoyable. I just wish someone would have collected some rubbish off the track during the race. All in all an enjoyable event.”

“Great event, although a rather slow course - The bike course was extremely technical and thus slow..although the racetrack itself is fabulous, but there were too many tight u-turns put in. Also, it was not clear whether overtaking is on the left or right. Swim: better communication on wetsuit yes or no would have been desirable.”

“Continue like this - Perhaps improve the route signage on the road for people who don't know the place and/or foreign people.”

“Overpriced and needing improvement - Still work to do. As a maxi competitor this event is seriously overpriced when considering for not much more you are into IM 70.3 territory - and this event is way short of IM organisation and giveaways. Bike course bordering on dangerous and further thought is required. Very poorly supported and noted much fewer supporters than at previous events. Bike access to transition again involving navigating stairs - really!?!?! On a positive there were some v enthusiastic marshalls and credit to them ”

“Entire concept needs a rethink, athlete first. - Communication incongruent: significantly different messages in printed media, electronic media and presentations. Could come a bit earlier too. Barefoot hike to the starting line. Inherently dangerous as one might step into things, more so if you don't see too well where you're going (as in: not having access to spectacles anymore). Same with the long barefoot run on less than optimal surface in T1. Route well considered? e.g. strong current on the swim, 'tourism' route on the bike, crash-pron ”

“Well organised event, fun! - I thoroughly enjoyed the event but some points of attention: Info on overtaking on the bike was unclear (in briefing it was said overtake on the RIGHT) while online info said overtake on the LEFT, this led to a lot of confusion and dangerous situations. Give aways were poor. Not enough masseuses; only 2 for the whole crowd? Great volunteers, big thumb up! Can we have a cold tub next year?”

“Fun course, not many spectators, average goodies - Race pack pick up on Friday at the Rotana was awful and a total waste of time. It was so far away from the action and there was no easy way to get there apart from walk. Then when you got there it was just a room with some boxes in it and a couple of people handing the packs out. No athmosphere, no sense of occasion. I missed watching the women's elite race because of it! ”

“Great event but was much better at the Corniche - Cycling course could be improved substantially”

“Good event, but need improvement - Need to improve: - 30 minute delay with start; - no km signal at all during cycling and running course!; - cycling corce is not good for triathlon.”

“Not too bad but could improve - I liked most of the cycling course, more intersting than the boring circuits but cobblestones was not nice. Could give more access to spectators along the route. Staying in viceroy but was not allowed through marina - not good. Event started late enough in the day so race packs could have been collected on the day or have a collection point in Dubai. Loved the race village. Think this could be a great venue should small improvements take place. Look at TriYas as example”

“More attention to detail and organization required - ITU has the potential to be a quality event and with more organization, it could be. Although I enjoyed the technical ride, the route unnecessarily took riders over brick paths and gravelly areas and u-turns proved to be hotspots as they were narrow and required a degree of awareness that not all riders were comfortable with. I suggest putting km markers on the run route. Also, it was extremely difficult for spectators to access the finish line to cheer. Swim was good for the Olympic/Maxi race. ”

“Techical bike - Nice and easy to navigate swim course. Swim to bike transition area quite long on a rough tarmac surface, should have been carpeted or shorter. Bike could have been organised a lot better, very tight corners and too many u-turns, however F1 circuit was amazing to ride on. Loved the fact that run didn't have too many loops. Volunteers were amazing and so were the participants with their words of encouragement. Thank you!”

“Very good first experience - Really impressed by the overall organisation. It is a pity that the ITU is not anymore held on Corniche.”

“It was better last year - To much distance to be covered for thé transition. For the cycling to mamy turns and dangerous tights turns”

“Expensive race, expected more of the coarse - Venue is not spectator friendly at all, and does not attract any feet. You have to come very specific for the event to attract spectators-and there's basically no place that they could actually view the athletes, except the finish line The cycling coarse for sprint distance had way too many u-turns and turns-F1 track could have been utilized way better and the coarse more spread over Yas Island, like the halfmarathon does Podium setup was very poorly planned Expensive race with minimal benefits”

“Improvement on 2016 and Better Course - Annoying having he sprint on a different day to the Olympic and Maxi. Otherwise, enjoyed the more challenging bike course and the overall nature of the event.”

“FANTASTIC - An amazing event. Where else can I ride a bike all the way round a Formula 1 circuit (twice!!). It was my first triathlon, but wont be my last... and I will definitely be coming back to Abu Dhabi (hoping for same course)”

“Didn't like bike course - I didnt like the bike course, too many turns and u-turns. I also would like to ask organizers to send packs to Dubai for Dubai based participants. Why do we need to go to Abu dhabi just to collect our packs? ”

“Run & Swim were good Bike -too many U turns - The run & swim were better route than last year, but the bike course should be changed so that there are not so many U turns, made it difficult at times. Spectators had trouble working out the best place to watch the run. ”

“Awesome experience - The experience of swimming in the Marina and riding in the F1 track was just awesome. Race village was nice and the whole event had a great international pro-atmosphere. Definitely worth it and I hope organization keep same for next year!!!”

“Location not as good as previous - Swim leg was a good location, but very hard for spectators to see given the distance from the start to the race village. 20 min walk to the start line also poorly planned. Cycle leg was confusing and difficult to negotiate because of the number of sharp turns/ u-turns. Again, very hard for spectators. Run was ok, but again no area for spectators Given the location, this event could be one of the best in the world - but let down because of poor planning and organisation. ”

“New course some problems still good event - I thought this was value for money as I registered early and got a middle distance triathlon for a good fee. I feel the lack of signage from the main road etc for the race village was poor. I went to do the practice swim, and we went to race village area and no security etc knew what was going on or where we were to go and walked all the way back to find out of was at viceroy! This should have been communicated to us or sign posted. Lonely course not spectator friendly so not as enjoyable ”

“Need a better bike course!!! - Too many twists and turns on the bike course (sprint distance). Also, the sprint distance race should start earlier as running in the midday heat is very unpleasant and dangerous!!!”

“Paid but haven't participated - no refund! - When I registered for the event, I selected the option of paying a bit extra in return for late cancellation feature. However, on Feb. 5th, I tried to cancel my registration due to work commitment, I couldn't. The message I got is that cancellation shall be done 1 month prior to the event. I'm not sure what is the benefit of the extra charges if it still requires me to cancel registration a month in advance.”

“More fun that corniche - Of course if you are a semi pro with a 50,000$ bike looking for long straight to reach your PB, then you were disappointed. But for the majority of us, the bike track and the running was much more fun than on corniche! Liked it, keep it there, get a few improvement (acces via stairs was a disgrace!), and change your picture provider. Shame on you for the price of the pics!!! not even a single one free!!! But overall i liked it and huge thanks to all volunteers along the course! ”

“Professionally Ran Event - All aspects of the event were professionally ran. The amount of volunteers was amazing. Their energy and enthusiasm was refreshing. The only change I would like to see is a little less technical of a bike route and the distance between the swim and transition. Other than that, THANKYOU!! ”

“ 3rd March absolute shambles, 4th somewhat better - ITU didn't give a damn about Junior events & seemed an utter inconvenience. It was a complete shambles & disgrace trying to get juniors to the start line with many stressed and upset. Then trying to get back to watch the event with far too many access restrictions and nowhere to watch the bike. Randomly not having access to the grand stand. Whole day on the 3rd pretty much the same. Juniors and age group events are expensive and deserve far better attention, without ITU can't take place.”

“Loved the new course, very different - Would be a great to have more activity on the run course. Will be back in 2018. ”

“Fun event but could be improved - I enjoyed the event but at 550 aed it is poor value for money, seems a bit of a racket paying so much to take part in all these ironman and ITU events. The bike course and run course were short, so I cannot claim an OD PB. There were no spectators on the course as it is miles outside city. Bike had so many u turns, why not let us ride straight for longer- the island is almost totally deserted. Add km markers on the run course. Bike racking also disorganised- hard to find bike! ”

“Enjoyed the course - 2 improvements: firstly the registration was at the Rotana on Friday and not Yas Marina as advertised and no notification was given until we went to the Marina. 2 please sweep the corners on the bike course, there was a lot of sand and dust on some of them which was dangerous and easily remedied.”

“Interesting course but expensive &poorly organised - Bike course was better than expected, but why not make it the full 20/40/80km? Aid stations on the run were too far apart and needed sponges. Why couldn't we collect race packs from the race venue on Friday as listed in the guide? It would have encouraged more to stay for the women's elite race. Why only two age categories in the Maxi for prizes when we paid the most/suffered the most? Race itself was enjoyable but organisation needs improving, other local races are so much better on that front.”

“I am not happy with the biking courses - Please avoid sharp turns and u turns in the bike course in future events”

“Disappointing compared to previous years - While I don't mind a technical bike course, I found the bike course to be poorly designed. With so many good surfaces on Yas, it was surprising that the course took you over so many brick sections that were miserable to ride on. And with so many roads, why double back on yourself so many times and cut the riding width in half? Also, the 20-minute delayed start was really bad. On a positive note, the swim and run courses were nice and the event pack collection was well organized.”

“Better organization needed for ITU event. - Volunteer were great, and all staff I asked for help were supportive.Swim course good! Race guide and race brief say opposite for which side to ride/pass on - lead to confusion. Transition to long and cramped. We had big open roads in abu dhabi, why are we cramped in a contraflow around half of the F1 track? with all the U-turns how could you not get the bike to the proper 40km distance - just move the cones back at each turn? Run course lonely with no spectators, music and KM markers. ”

“Corniche offered so much more!! - Firstly the volunteers were great and very encouraging. Unfortunately the rest was not so positive. Swim start from transition area ? There was no need for such a large transition. Bike course was great if you were in a go kart but not so good on a TT bike and the run was out a road to nowhere with zero spectators or music. Please go back to the Corniche, better course, better for spectators and better atmosphere”

“Good experience - Better race pack collection signs to location and how to get into has circuit as there was no signs on ten Saturday ”

“Could be a nice Triathlon - POSITIVE : -Global atmosphere -Team members involvement and availability -Security around the race (run, bike): road closed -Race on F1 circuit NEGATIVE : -Bike race with too many U-turns (Dangerous for athlètes) -Aid stations were very poor -Only few supporters on the tracks -Signalisation to reach the village was not efficient - Race Briefing too short and not well organized Compared to an IRONMAN organisation, the ITU is at a lower level. It is a pitty because, ABU DHABI is so nice to see.”

“Disappointing - Poor communication to participants ranging from pick up location start numbers, exact location parking, from transition to start swim long walk, people arrived too late at bike raking and organization allowed it so overall start swim maxi got delayed by 20 minutes, which is poor planning/organization, bike track too many turns , overall disappointing compared previous location in 2015”

“Lack of music and spectator support especially on - Music and spectator support needed on run route. No SMS regarding photos. ”

“Come back to Corniche! - The event had a poor organization compared with the las 3 previous years: - The walking for start swimming tooooo Long! - The transition to the bike so long and some places slippery - The bike race was very very Tangled and not at all friendly, (Too much U turns, Irregular pavement, etc) - The running race without water in some stations - Not friendly for the family at all!, the support people so far from the race, not enough places with shadow to cover. PLEASE COME BACK TO CORNICHE NXT YEAR! ”

“ITU is the Best! - It was an excellent event. I love to participate again and again.”

“Organization gets worse every year - Several things showed zero control over what was going on: 1) We started 30min late, no water and bad information/jokes 2) Announcer and swim ref were giving opposite instructions 3) The bike aid station was terrible 4) distances were wrong 5) we got a sweat wristband instead of a bib belt? 6) Changed race pick up site without proper information 7) got finisher shirt at race pack collection 8) transition was far, swimming was far from transition ”

“Iron man abu dhabi is needed - ITU during the past 3 years in abu dhabi has taking the place of abu dhabi international triathlon. and every year they are proofing that this wrong. No worries, definitely i'm going to sign in every ITU since i love triathlons and i live in abu dhabi. 2017 ITU is very bad for triathlete and their families, i only enjoyed the run part.”

“Yas was different... - The corniche is preferred over Yas for many reasons, mainly the bike route. I was skeptical about this event from all the info we had prior to the race but was pleasantly surprised.”

“Nice job, but move back to the Corniche! - I understand the reasoning behind moving to Yas as logistically it's much easier on the ITU and Abu Dhabi. However, the location was not used effectively in terms of making the tri spectator friendly. Look at what they did with the Tri Yas event, as that allowed much more spectator viewing of the swim, bike, run and transition, than this event. ”

“Support aids (NOT!) - In such a multisport event, aid stations should have deep heat or or anything for cramps rather than sun block sprays...that was applied on me until I got to know it is sunblock and not deepheat or deep freeze!”

“A bit disappointed - Hi. Thks for the efforts put in. I didn't like the race so much. Lots of turns on the bike. Run course was boring and not very nice.”

“Improvable - I think it was a good event. The bike race through the F1 circuit is amazing. In any case, after having participated in an Ironman organized event, ITU was a bit worse organized, give aways were a bit less appealing and the Race Finish atmosphere, vendors, etc. were very few considering this is a World Triathlon event”

“Really insane cycle course - This was a good event that was spoiled by the cycle course with was too many u-turns and taking the bikes over uneven brick paved sections. The swim was good and the run was good. Also it was not good for spectators to view on the course except for the swim which was great. The transition area was a bit chaotic as well and could have given more space and allocated number spaces. I preferred the old location near Marina Mall and on the Corniche. ”

“Great event but long ways to go and delayed start - In general the event was very well organised and the venue great. From Yas Plaza it was quite a long way to get to Yas Marina (25-30 minutes). The Expo was disappointing and the ways in transition were quite long. The bike course was very winding and therefore it wasn't always easy to avoid drafting and blocking. The run course was a bit boring but not too bad. Aid stations were excellent and the volunteers just fantastic and very helpful!! Great to see the women in their abayas marshalling :-)”

“All is well that ends well - I have participated in this event twice - Sprint last year and Maxi this year. Despite a new location, the course was better signed and marshalled. Everyone within the Maxi Cut off was allowed to finish. The sprint the cut off was very lenient - perhaps due to the strong currents in the water. Which is wonderful! I suggest better planning with the local organisers so that the course can be decided in advance. The bike course changes at the last moment caused much anxiety among participants.”

“The course was better in Corniche - Pack pick up could be done on site As spectator it was not really clear where to go to see the different events, a lot of walkways etc were closed and you could not see that much if you didn't know where you were going. It is quite expensive also. I much prefer this event at cornice as a spectator and participant”

“Good work fro the organizers - Nice venue, a bit tight bike course but an overall great event.”

“Overall nice experience - But bike course can be better. Too many u-turns.”

“Problem in bike course - The bike course is not ready for such race i have fallen from my bike due to a problem in the course in a turn where we go on the blue part there was an expansion joint in concrete that is bot sealed my wheel got stuck in it and i badly fall from the bike with a lot of injuries i continued the race but i got. Alot of injuries and my brand new bike was harmed a lot. This isn't an acceptable mistake on such a race please go check yourself the expansion joint. I consider this as ignorance”

“Overall a really good event! Will be back for sure - The bike course looked worryingly complicated but in actual fact it wasnt too bad. The F1 track was amazing and great to be on totally closed roads when out. However, race briefing said ride left, pass right, but book with rules and guide said normal highway code. there was a lot of confusion on the bike as to which side to ride and which to pass but thankfully no accidents that i spotted. The run was good but away from spectators. Would be good to keep it closer to track next time. Loved it!”

“A great race - very enjoyable - Overall it was extremely enjoyable, with the new venue working out really well. Two small niggles: Too many U turns on the cycle track, with one or two a bit risky. Riding over the block work outside the F1 track wasn't ideal. On the upside: Much better transition management than in previous years - well done Danny Hughes! The overall management and execution of the event flowed much more smoothly than previously, with the competition spread over two days providing a more relaxing experience.”

“Great event and a must for triathletes! - I believe the age group sprint should have started early in the morning instead of the Mini 1km Run. I would have swapped the 2 races. Overall the event was great! Thanks ”

“I love it - Two things i would recommend first is to add more people in the information desk who really know what's going on. secondly about the voucher is much better if we get discounts to buy sports staff that can help us in the event or in the race ”

“Good event, better than last year, room 4 imporvmn - Second time taking part in Abu Dhabi ITU. A little improvement over last year. However, I wonder why they picked this course with so many turns. They had such a great venue to make good cycling course. The swimming was nice, and I liked the run course. Showers (at the end) and more toilets (especially toward the beginning of the race) will be a great add on next year. BIG thanks to marshalls and support stations, they were super friendly and helpful.”

“Needs to be more spectator friendly - A few bumpy patches on the bike course. A general lack of support on the bike/run was the result of it being away from a city centre, but also not very spectator friendly outside the run finish.”

“Great race course and on the day well managed. - Enjoyed the technical bike course, for Olympic distance, which is closer to the type of course used by the Pro's in the real race. Seemed like the signs and general organisation improved on Sat, but on Friday it wasn't so easy to find locations etc. 1st time in a new location so I am sure 2018, general organisation, will be better if in the same place. ”

“Poor event timing, access and spectator access - Spectator access was awful, No way to watch the start of the kids races. Miscommunication between marshals. The adults bike had so many U-turns that there was very little times that you could get up to full speed. The transitions had very long run ins. The run was boring and few places that people could cheer you on from. We stayed at the Viceroy and expected to have access. Local event YAS Tri the last two years were way better with timings and routes posted much earlier.”

“Dangerous Course - The course was to dangerous with so many sharp turns compounded by the number of riders of different abilities. The aid stations were vastly undermanned.”

“Poor organization - From both a participant and from a spectator perspectives, really hard to navigate through the massive safety blockages. No nice place to see the course and to encourage participants. Marshalls and organization not knowing the different courses and not willing to help and answer questions. Course different that the one put online. Nice to watch the elites.”

“Great event but room for improvement - Volunteers, marshalls etc were excellent especially those in the racking area where they provided support adn direction whilst maintaining a relaxed environment. Well done guys and girls. Signage could be improved Need for some proper changing facilities ideally with showers if you want participants to stay at the event all day after competing Need for toilet/bathroom facilities near the swim start area to help with those last minute nerves. Different medal for Sprint vs Olympic”

“Nice race but definitely areas for improvement - Thanks to all the volunteers first. The location for this new edition was very nice and the organisation very professional, as usual. A couple of lowlights though: (1) not spectator friendly enough (difficult to watch the run, not enough laps that bring us back to the race village); (2) bike race still makes me dizzy due to the number of uturns ”

“The best Tri Experience ever! - The best Tri Experience ever!”

“Disappointing course and organisation - Poor signage to the event and once in the course. Too many u-turns in the bike course to make it enjoyable, too long transition from swim bare foot on concrete. Late set up the day before meant it was impossible to understand the route. Very boring run route. Very spectator unfriendly meant no atmosphere, inspiration or motivation on the course as promised. ”

“Great day! - I enjoyed the day! A lot of reminder to get ready for the race, that was good, just been confused in the morning with various info about transition swimming and bike... And the bike course a bit twisted with a dangerous metallic hump in the first lap. Still a great venue.”

“A great race - Have dedicated numbers on bike racks. Free for all does not work. It is organized chaos. Also do not understand why no Dubai race pack collection was not available like previous years. Most athletes came from Dubai.”

“Very bad location - I was participating 2 years ago when event was at Abu Dhabi Marina & Corniche. It was much much much better then on the yas island. Don't like a new location.”

“Difficult cycling course - The cycle course at this race was very difficult and not friendly for amateurs - I saw a couple of crashes! Both the cycling and running are not spectator friendly - make the course shorter so you pass the spectators more often. Arrange registration and race pack collection in Dubai one day and not only in Abu Dhabi.”

“Local sprints are better organised - Printed briefing pack not very clear. Course layout very difficult to understand before the event. Bike course was too short,dangerous in places and not much fun with too many uturns. Race briefing said overtake on left. Officials on the morning said overtake right. Which is it? Run course similarly poorly marked. Needed more cones crossing the roads and at junctions. Post race I took my water and banana but once I left the finishing chute I couldn't get more water outside. Iprovement needed.”

“Good course but terrible access - Terrible access to the event and not spectator friendly at all - neither was I able to return to watch the elite for that reason. Delayed start with no toilet options :( Bike course was different and not easy but good! Run course was ok but no spectator support possible so no race athmosphere at all Tried 2 yrs in a row - don't think I'll be back”

“No recognition of ALL ITU Age Groups participating - Race venue and course are very good but your marketing of the event could, I believe be much more commercially minded by accentuating the importance of the event in recognising more sections of the triathlon community and age groups that actually were participating. In the men 60+ there were 17 participants and all categories up to the 70 - 74 ITU age group had more than one participant. Disappointing considering that the older competitors pay the same entry fee and compete on the same course”

“Bring back Abu Dhabi international triathlon. - The kid race was a joke. parents were not allowed with their kids. no photo at the finish line, it was borderline impossible to move around during the event, barriers everywhere. Age group events, no carpet to run onto during the mile long transition, dangerous bike coruse, swimming in a channel with strong current, access is poor ... it just gets worse every year since part of the wts. organiser should participate to other local races and get inspired ”

“Great venue, parking, meeting spot on green grass! - All good. Great event”

“Worst event I've ever competed in. - Course was awful. Completely non spectator friendly. No atmosphere/vibe. ”

“Overall, not to bad - Bike track, 20kmx2 was awful, way to many turns and cobblestone. Swimming ok, apart from the current. Running was good. Not easy for family/spectators to follow the participants due to the track/course.”

“Fantastic event, great course, well organized - Overall a brilliant event. Post race food could be improved but if that's all I can rant about it bares testament to what a great race it was!”

“Excellent swim & bike, run a bit boring - Better bike aid stations ”

“Terrible course design - I have participated in several past ITU events in other countries, and enjoyed them greatly. This race, however, had some serious flaws. The walk to the swim start was ridiculously long. The swim course was much longer than 750. The bike course was the worst course I've ever raced on in 70+ events, with many tight turns, poor labeling, and under-supported by volunteers. The run was boring, with too few water stops. The medals were lame. The post-race food was almost nonexistent.”

“Great course - logistics not so much - Sad to see so many people complaining about the course. The swim was fantastic, bike course was technical & something different & the run course allowed for so many athletes together for the entire route - perfect! What wasn't so good was the logistics of the event, poor signage and very confusing information from staff. Walking up/down narrow stairways wasn't ideal to get to transition either. I much prefer this course to any other ITU in Abu Dhabi but hope they improve on logistics next year.”

“Excellent event, really enjoyable - Several plus points: swim start assembly area was in the shade, courses were well marshalled, efficient bag-drop service, results this year show splits for all competitors (a much-welcomed improvement), things happened in the way the schedule said they would. Yes, it was a technical bike course - as the elites had too - that tested our biking skills. It just wasn't very easy for spectators to see the bike and run courses.”

“Should expect better from ITU - The cycle course was a mess, too many U-Turns which made the course dangerous at places. No bike course familiarisation for age grouper athletes. Spent the first lap figuring where to go. The transition swim-bike was practically half mile run in bare feet on concrete. Been on better organised local races. Disgusting from ITU!!”

“Come back this event to Abu Dhabi Corniche Road - Half an hour delay of start without any notice. No access to swim start of visitors. No shower after swimming. A lot of u-turns during bike course, less maxi distance (75km instead of 80km), no distance signs, no access of visitors during bike course. Run course was organized awfull. No distance signs, no ice sponge, not seeing run turn maxi distance. No visitors access during run course. No access through yacht area to Viceroy Hotel, after event we have to go 6km, instead of 800m directly. ”

“The cycling track was a joke - 14 u-turns and countless bends... why not just around the F1 track?”

“So disappointing for an ITU - Maps in Race info useless. Need clear marking and location names instead of "athletes village". Communicate with viceroy. I booked it as a partner hotel right next to the event but half the time couldn't access the short way. No volunteers knew what was happening. Access was horrible with bikes on stairs. No swim warm up. Swim exit slippy. Bike course unnecessarily dangerous (narrow sections, uturns) for variety of abilities there. No km markers on run course. Volunteers not giving water on run.”

“Cycling course is complicated - Swimming course is good, but prefer open water than marina. The cycling course was very technical in parts, with cobble stones in part of it, the roads were partially covered with sand, dried mud and sometimes water which worked as slipping hazard, inside the circuit there were car debris. The running course was good and support stations were well spaced with good variety. ”

“Well organised but bike course could be better - Well organised, support and volunteers did a brilliant job. Swim start was way too far from transition and not announced. Bike course had way too many u-turns and sharp bends but marshalls did a great job. ”

“Vast Improvement at the new venue. - I thought the tight, technical bike course was great, most of the age grouper issues of the last 2 years were dealt with and the whole package was well delivered. Shower facility would be appreciated but otherwise very well done. Thank you to the marshals and volunteers as always, wouldn't happen without you. ”

“Terrible bike course - Good support. Great Volunteers. Bike course was extremely technical and confusing. the course is partly on the F1 track that has been used the night before by race cars which means that there is a lot of debris on the track. The off-F1 track was between streets, cobble stone and parking areas - totally confusing. Overall, the course caused fights, unpleasant words among athletes and many accidents. Run course could use bottled water instead of cups.”

“Excellent - Loved this event and the new venue. Race pack pick-up was easy, and the race village was a great place to be pre and post event. The swim course was great and the bike course was well managed - no problems having more turns in the route as long as they are managed by staff safely (as was the case - I thought the signage was excellent). Enjoyed the run course too - it was interesting and the aid stations were well stocked. Hope the event stays at Yas next year.”

“Fun - Best cycle course I've experienced from all the triathlons that I've done in the uae. Lots of sharp turns and more then one incline. Very challenging and stimulating ”

“Pls go back to Yacht Club or Cornishe - In UAE, we r known for our long highway stretches, why squeeze our selves in some many narrow, twisted turns. Long run in T1, feel sorry for all out of town soft winter feet soles. No swim warm up”

“Worst triathlon experience ever - So many things wrong here. Getting to transition required walking up and down narrow staircases with bikes and strollers. The swim course was horrible - we were swimming against the incoming tide in a channel! Super long walk in bare feet to swim start (which families could not see) and then really long runs in bare feet or bike shoes for biking. Bike course was ridiculously bad with numerous u turns and riding over rough bricks. Highly recommend a move back to Abu Dhabi Corniche/Marina.”

“Well organized event - I loved the bike course, plenty of turns, very challenging which was great. In fact, all of it was awesome.”

“Great new course - Fantastic 2 days doing the sprint and Olympic Team race. The bike course was a welcome challenge, better than sitting in your areo bars for an hour. Run course out and back created a good atmosphere and keep everyone together. Cold water on a very hot run was most welcome. Big thank you to all the volunteers, a really long day out in the sun but still shouting encouragement. Please don't take it back to the Corniche. See you next year. ”

“Poor signage, rude itu officials, great volunteers - Poorly organized, athletes carrying bikes up & down staircases. Asked an ITU official which way to bike racking, she replies "i don't know anything about that i'm only here working at the ITU"? Followed a family as we tried to find swim start, an ITU official takes this family through the security gates telling them this is the way to the swim start, we obviously follow but have the gates closed in our faces and told to go the other way. None of them were wearing VIP passes. Clearly buddies!”

“Age Group bike course was nuts! Too many u-turns - The volunteers along the bike route were alert & helpful, but the course was annoying - too many u-turns. Difficult to get into a stride and dangerous in parts. Great atmosphere around the finish area but More spectator areas / access to the swim, cycle, and run courses would really improve this for both race participates and spectators.”

“Never Again - Access and logistics too, from and around the event was the worst I've seen of any event. People carrying bikes up and down narrow stair wells. They should have opened the marina to improve access too and from the venue. Junior events were changed without notice and communicated very poorly causing a lot of stress and frustration. Children almost missed their event because security shut off access through the marina to the swim start. This is half of what I have written as the event was so poor.”

“Could have been better - Great appeal of the event and well marketed; the bad notes : general layout was difficult to understand,access to the area not marked, unfriendly security staff , swim start way too far and it was dispersing the pubhlic and the families, transition too long too hot, bad cycling track with many cones and u turns; running too hot and boring.water station with glasses of water?? just bananas at arrival??? They need to learn from Triyas team and or Race Me.”

“Great Exprience for first timer - I don't like the bike route there are a lot of curves and small turns”

“Bike course was no fun - pls go back to corniche - Please go back to Corniche - it was very difficult to get around, bike course was no fun - boring and hot run course with no cheering people - TriYas is a whole lot better at this venue and you should not try to copy it.Nutrition should improve - only water on track and just Bananas after finish line is not what Iam used to at Triathlons all over the world - especially not at this price level. ”

“Back to Corniche - Course poor - Volunteers good - Organization made it work overall. I understand the hard work behind it. Volunteers were cheerful and active. Good job. The bad part. I've signed up before it was communicated that the race would move to Yas. Cycling course with cones everywhere was slow and annoying. Too many sharp slow u-turns, broke the rhythm and wasn't interesting. Running course same issues. Transition area access was slow, and frankly rude. Would be nice to have family/friends near the start. Move it back to corniche. ”

“Horribly long transitions, bad cycle course - Very late event info before the event. Cycle course was very poorly designed. At the end had to stand in a long queue just to collect my bike. Medal quality very poor. Overall disappointment. ”

“Rude marshals , long distances everywhere, no sign - The event loooks very professional for the professionals .. the normal participants have to walk to stations long distances to rack the bikes, to the swim start with the supporting friends no way near! The marshals were not polite really .. the cycle track was awful. The brief was for 1 loop and on race day the redesigned the track to do 2 very twisty and slow laps , disappointing ...”

“Horrible Medals for an ITU event - Great marshals. Very friendly and helpful. Move the event back to Abu Dhabi Corniche. HORRIBLE MEDALS for an ITU Event - complete rip off - you must have bought it in Dragon Mart in Dubai maybe ? Definately not worth the money !”

“Move event back to Abu Dhabi corniche - Bike course was borderline dangerous due to many turns, swim start was a bit far, run was difficult due to heat (due to late start).”

“Markers of distances on the courses - Overall organisation of the event very good. Suggestion: 1km markers for the runners, as done at the RAK half marathon. No markers anywhere of distance until turning point.”